Congolese refugees troop to Kenya

By Osinde Obare

Kitale, Kenya: As Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government launched final assault against M23 rebels, many Congolese nationals living in troubled regions did not wait for the bloodbath.

Families, which feared they could be killed in the war, packed their belongings and started a long trek to seek refuge elsewhere, including in Kenya.

Olivia Mutombo’s family is among those that fled the war-torn country to Kenya.

Mutombo is supposed to be in school but the security situation at home does not grant him a chance to pursue his education.

The 16-year-old student of Instutishash Secondary School in Ishasha region in DRC has lost hope of completing school after fighting between government soldiers and rebels forced him to flee his motherland.

“Our homes were not safe. The rebels were killing people. We don’t know when peace will be restored there even after the government said they had crushed the rebels,” said Mutombo, who fled with his brother, Gilbert Mapenzi.

Terrible killing

The two were temporarily hosted at Kitale Police Station.

His father Kabeya Mutombo was shot dead by rebels as the family watched.

“We had just finished supper when three armed M23 rebels forced their way into our house and shot my father inside his bedroom as we watched,” narrated Mutombo.

Kabeya was one of the commanders in the DRC military and the rebels were after him.

“It was a terrible killing. I tried to stop them from firing but they said they wanted to take away his life because he was their enemy,” Mutombo narrated.

After the attack, the rebels left but promised to come for Mutombo and Mapenzi so that they could join them in the liberation of the clash torn Goma region.

Mutombo and Mapenzi did not wait for the rebels to return and enlist them in their illegal movement. They did not want to fight against the same government their father died serving.

“We decided to leave home for our safety and we are lucky to be here in Kenya. We feel our future is doomed unless peace is restored in our country,” Olivia told The Standard in Kitale.

Their family was among dozens at the police station waiting to be taken to the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Turkana by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The rebels killed Mutombo’s mother Cecelia Sikuguwa and his stepmother Christine Esitek in 2006. His father was the sole breadwinner in the family.

“There is nobody to turn to. Our education and lives have been disrupted. We don’t have hope,” he said.

The two brothers, as did other families, walked several kilometres and crossed into Uganda through Kandungu District where they met with a Kenyan truck driver.

“The driver was a good person. We explained our problem and he accepted to bring us to Kenya to seek refuge,” explained Mutombo.

After going for several days without enough food, they arrived in Jinja where they spent three days before continuing with their journey.

Hike lift

At Malaba, on the Kenya-Uganda border, they were forced to spend five days before leaving for Bungoma as their entry into Kenya was temporarily delayed due to border screening.

“When we reached Bungoma, the driver paid for our fare to Kitale and gave us Sh700 as transport from Kitale to Kakuma. He really was a good man,” he added. More tribulation, however, awaited them when a conductor of Kitale-Lodwar bound bus refused to carry them for lack of enough money.

“The conductor told us the money we had was not enough to enable us travel to Kakuma and told us to seek police help. We ended up at the police station,” said Mutombo.

Another refugee, Nzabonimpia Egeune, is lucky to be alive. The head teacher of Epeatioga Primary School in Luchuli District cheated death narrowly when he escaped through the window of the classroom to avoid being killed by rebels.

“I was in class when a group of rebels stormed the school in search of government sympathisers. They were specifically after me but I managed to dodge them,” said Egeune, who fled the country with his wife and their son, two.

Egeune said it took him several weeks to flee his Bunagana village through Uganda before crossing into Kenya.

He said fighting between government forces and M23 rebels had disabled the region and many people were fleeing their homes to seek refuge in safe areas within and outside DRC.

“Nobody wants to die. We thank God we are here. We heard Kenya was a safe refuge for people like us and that is why we came here,” said Egeune.

Officials in Kitale said Congolese refugees, mostly women and children, are flocking to Kenya through Malaba border seeking refuge at Kakuma camp in Turkana County.

Trans-Nzoia County Commander Lillian Okembo said over 200 Congolese and a handful of Burundians had arrived in Kitale before they were handed over to UNHCR.

“We have been receiving Congolese nationals fleeing their war-torn country since last week. Most of them are women and children,” Okembo told The Standard in Kitale.

Okembo said her office has been supporting them with food, medication and organising their repatriation to the refugee camp in Turkana.

John Bororio, a Kitale-based lawyer working for UNHCR, said he has so far received 76 Congolese in the past week and organised for their travel to Kakuma camp.

Peace agreement

Bororio said those arriving in Kenya pass through Malaba border before requesting for lifts in lorries from Bungoma to reach Kitale. The lawyer said the refugees lack money and are only carrying clothes and some have come along with sick children.

The M23 rebels announced a ceasefire after they were defeated by government troops almost a fortnight ago but they are yet to sign a peace agreement.

The refugees say it will take them time before they return home.